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After state guidance, Cambridge advances competency-determination policy and capstone planning
Summary
Following recent state recommendations, the superintendent and district curriculum leaders told the committee they will adopt a local competency-determination policy for class of 2028+ that preserves course completion and adds local end-of-course assessments and capstone options; the committee plans a vote before Dec. 31 to meet DESE guidance.
The Cambridge School Committee heard a district recommendation Dec. 2 to adopt a competency-determination policy for students in the class of 2028 and beyond after the state's recent guidance following the removal of MCAS as a graduation requirement.
Superintendent Murphy and Dr. Leith said the district will keep course-completion expectations consistent with MassCore curriculum guidance, increase the credit accumulation threshold (from 224 to 240 credits) and require local demonstrations of mastery: end-of-course assessments, capstones or portfolios. "We will be developing here within the Cambridge Public Schools a series of measures for each of the identified content areas that are as rigorous as possible," Dr. Leith said, noting the work will include blind scoring and shared rubrics to reduce bias.
The superintendent noted the state will release further recommendations in mid-2026 and that the district must adopt a local policy by Dec. 31 to comply with DESE guidance; he said implementation tools and instruments will require multiple months of development and educator collaboration. Committee members asked specifically about capstone logistics, equity of access, and how local assessments will preserve rigorous standards and avoid unintentional grade inflation; members signaled interest in incorporating internships, community service and vocational pathways where appropriate.
The committee did not vote on the longer-range elements that night but planned to take up the required policy amendment on the Dec. 16 meeting agenda.
